The Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) has been produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the New Zealand Department of Statistics for use in the collection and publication of statistics in the two countries. It replaces the Australian Standard Industrial Classification (ASIC) and the New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (NZSIC). The development of the ANZSIC resulted from the need to improve comparability of industry statistics for Australia and New Zealand. International comparability has been enhanced by aligning the ANZSIC with the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC), Revision 3, wherever possible. Users of industry statistics in both countries have been widely consulted in the development of the ANZSIC. In preparing the classification considerable effort has gone into reaching a suitable balance between maintaining historic comparability and keeping pace with changes in technology and in the business environment. The assistance provided by many individuals and organisations during the development of the classification is gratefully acknowledged.